Introduction to the DBOT and Preparing for Adulthood programmes Carol Robinson and Ellen Atkinson
DBOT • Delivering Better Outcomes Together • Funded by Department for Education • Partnership between CDC, Mott MacDonald and the National Development Team for inclusion (NDTi) • Been around since the start of the SEND Reforms- covers 9 regions of England • Focused on Outcomes
Preparing for Adulthood • Commissioned by Department for Education to support the testing and implementation of SEND reforms • Delivered by the National Development Team for inclusion (NDTi) • Free training, advice and support for regional authorities • Continue to engage the Post 16 sector to think about Preparing for Adulthood outcomes from the earliest years Contact Information : • www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk • info@preparingforadulthood.org.uk • www.facebook.com/preparingforadulthood • Twitter - @PfA_Tweets
Preparing for Adulthood • Preparing for Adulthood • Lots of the team involved with other government funded programmes such as Valuing People, Valuing Employment Now and Getting a Life • It covers 4 key areas of adult life: • Employment • Independent Living • Community Inclusion • Health
NDTi and Employment Ellen Atkinson and Carol Robinson
About NDTi “NDTi exists to promote good lives for all people in their communities by supporting change makers, resetting expectations, tackling problems and celebrating what is possible.” We do this through projects and initiatives that: • Promote equal life chances • Ensure people’s voices are heard • Rethink service design • Change how organisations work www.NDTi.org.uk
NDTI • We are a not for profit social change agency • Particular focus on people at risk of exclusion because of disability and/or age • Just celebrated 25 years of supporting people to have better lives • Preparing for Adulthood programme sits with NDTi • Amongst other things, brought the concept of supported employment to the UK in the late 1980s • Work strands on policy development, research and evaluation, demonstration projects, consultancy and training
Headlines • There is good evidence that supporting disabled people into work saves money compared to providing traditional day services. • There is clear evidence that two types of employment support are most effective at supporting people into work – Individual Placement and Support (IPS) for people living with mental health conditions and supported employment (for people with learning disabilities) • For other approaches such as volunteering and sheltered workshops, there is little or no evidence is that they lead to paid work, and in some cases evidence that they do not.
Headlines continued •A lack of evidence on the cost effectiveness of different types of employment supports i.e. what outcomes you get for money invested •There are concerns about ‘model fidelity – many services do not do what they claim to do https://www.ndti.org.uk/uploads/files/ SSCR_Scoping_Review_3_web_from_LSE%2C_July12.p df
2. The Main Study – Key Research Questions • What is the ‘value for money’ of current employment supports, in terms of people consequently achieving paid work? (If we invest x amount, how many people will get / keep jobs as a result?) • How does that ‘value for money’ impact vary between different models of employment support? Do they result in different outcomes? • How is the ‘value for money’ impact affected by different approaches to implementing local employment strategies?
National study published in 2014 involved • National data on spend and paid job outcomes collected from 83 local authorities • More in depth data from 70 areas • Fieldwork with 6 areas (where good outcomes) to look at their strategy and implementation • Action learning with commissioners in three parts of England – to gather additional data, share learning and test materials
Findings Sites working to evidence based Costs per paid job outcome practice delivered the most cost £60,000 £57,640 effective outcomes Massive range of spending £45,000 No relationship between proxy measure of disability and the £30,000 costs incurred or chance of gaining a job Successful sites were splitting £15,000 Average cost- £8,217 time between job retention and new jobs £- £208
Some obvious questions • Did size of service make a difference? NO • Did the level of support needed make a difference to job outcomes? NO
What makes a positive difference? • A positive decision by key decision makers (like elected members) to make employment a central strategic outcome and to fit local circumstances so it becomes part of the culture of service and performance expectation.
What works • A clear shared understanding of what is meant by employment – based on ‘real’ work and how to achieve it so non-evidence based approaches are not tolerated
What works cont’d • A comprehensive strategy, owned by key players, based on evidence linked to wider strategies that is used to guide action/ delivery.
What works cont’d • Knowledgeable leadership (if not commissioners then commissioners listening to it) that works with all stakeholders, but especially providers, to specify, support and manage the development of systems and market that can deliver the evidence based strategy
What works cont’d • Good and consistent monitoring of outcomes and factors that matter prevents inconsistent and unproven practice.
Effective Strategy delivery - Summary • Make it a priority • Be clear what you mean by work • Have a plan everyone agrees to • Listen to people who know what they are talking about • Check you are doing it!
Increasing employment outcomes • Valuing Employment Now (2010) • Project SEARCH • Clear and positive evidence that challenged assumptions about what people can do with the right support • Raised aspirations for the future of young disabled people after they leave full time education
What we know.... • Poor outcomes for young people, independent living, health and community inclusion but particularly in employment, • No increase in the employment rate - less than 6% of people with learning disabilities in paid employment • Parents (and young people) often don’t know what’s possible • Not enough good supported employment • Often low expectations about what young people with learning disabilities can achieve. • The SEND reforms present the opportunity for children and young people and their families to have better lives • A challenge to the system - change of culture, practice and processes
So what does it mean in practice? ○ Raise employment aspirations and expectations of children and young people, families and everyone who supports them ○ Person-centred transition planning with a focus on employment ○ Welfare advice , advice and guidance and positive work experience , so that families see that work is positive and possible ○ A vocational curriculum that supports young people’s aspirations and meaningful work experience for young people in community-based settings ○ Having job coaches and supported employment agencies - who can work with young people whilst they are at school, and good support for employment from 16+
Benefits of employment • Evidence suggests that getting more young disabled people into work reduces welfare dependency and improve their health and happiness • Builds confidence and motivation • Improves decision making skills • Improves communication skills • Widens social networks • Improves family relationships • Improves health and well-being • Develops independent travel skills
Pathways into employment • Work experience • Supported internships • Traineeships • Apprenticeships • Supported employment
Supported internships • Overall goal of Supported Internships is for disabled young people to move into paid employment. • Structured study programme that includes on-the-job training provided by experienced job coaches • The chance to study for relevant qualifications, where appropriate. • Support for employers, increasing their confidence in working with disabled young people and helping them to understand the business case for employing a diverse workforce.
Supported internships work! 2012/13 Supported Internship trials tested new approaches and cited numerous • benefits Breaking the cycle of young disabled people repeating college courses and training • with limited opportunities for employment 2019 over 3000 young people have been on supported internships - just under half • reported to be in paid work • Currently - approximately 1150 young people on supported internships (18/19 into 19/20) • Over half are with FE Colleges • The rest are mainly with Local Authorities and training provide • Nearly 1400 young people into paid work in last 2 years
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